Feed-rack



(No Model.)

A. HALL.

FEED BACK Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

wan

NITED STATES PATENT rrtcn.

FEED-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,667, dated October 9, 1888.

Application filed December 21, 1857. Serial No. 258,634. No model.) v

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAN HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashfield, in the county of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sheep-R-acks, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure I is a side elevation of my improved rack,from which the hay rests orinclines have been detached and removed; Fig. II, an end elevation of the same; Fig. III, a horizontal section of the same through line 18 19; Fig. 1V, a vertical section of the same, hay-rests included, through line 16 17; Fig. V, a side elevation of one of the hay-rests; Fig. VI, an end elevation of the last named; Fig. VII, a side elevation of one of the uprights or division-posts, and Fig. VIII a side elevation of one of the set latches.

My invention relates to a rack designed for the feeding of both hay and grain; and it consists in the construction and combination of the division -posts, door, bed, inclines, and set latches in the manner described and claimed below, the object thereof being to prevent the waste of bay, to prevent the crowding of the weaker by the stronger sheep, to adapt the rack to the feeding of horned sheep, and, finally, to facilitate the cleaning out of the rack and the distribution of hay and grain therein.

The details of my invention are as follows:

In the drawings, the parts marked 1 1 represent the corner-posts; 2 2, the side or middle posts; 3 3, the top rails; 4; 4, the bottom rails; 5 5, the uprights ordivision-posts; 6 6, the ends or doors; 7, the bed; 7, the bed-partition; S S, the girders or bed'supports; 9 9, the grain-channels; 1O 10, the hay-rests or in clines; 10 10, the openings or spaces between hay-rests and bed-partitions 7; 11 11, the set latches; 12 12, the latch-buttons; 13 13, longitudinal slits in hayrests, and 14 14 the crossbars of the hay-rests.

I make the rack of any suitable material. The top and bottom rails are made fast to the posts, and the sides so formed are connected by the girders 8 S, whereon is laid the bed 7, provided with a low central partition, 7, thus forming the grain-channels or feed-troughs 9 9.

To the bottom rails, 4 4, I make fast the up rights or division-posts 5 5, the same being about six inches in width and arranged about one foot from center to center, and so as to project about nine inches above the bottom rails. The ends 6 6 may both be made in the nature of hinged doors, or, as I prefer, one end, 6, may be made a hinged door, and the other, 6, fast and firm to the corner-posts and bed.

The inclines or hay-rests 10 10, I make of one broad and one narrow piece connected by cross-bars 14 14, so as to leave therein a longitudinal slit or opening, 13, some three or four inches wide and the whole incline of such width that when hinged to the top rail it will leave another horizontal opening, 10, of similar width, between the lower edge of the incline and the partition 7, as shown in Fig. IV; and it is through these openings 10 and 13 that the sheep are compelled to draw the hay in small quantities, and waste is thereby pre vented.

Connecting the inclines to the top rails, or dispensing with the top rails and connecting the inclines directly to the posts 1 1 by any suitable hinge or equivalent device, I provide the variable set latches ll 11 and buttons 12 12, whereby the inclines may be set and secured at any desirable angle for the feeding of hay or-grain, as shown in Fig. IV. Before feeding grain the inclines 1O 10 are dropped against the uprights 5 5, thus constituting side doors and shutting the sheep away, while the end door, 6, is opened, the grain-troughs 9 9 cleaned, and the grain deposited therein; and this course may be pursued with any number of racks sufficient for the feeding of a whole flock, and when all are ready the inclines may be raised and set and all the sheep allowed to begin to eat practically at the same time; and it is in these operations of cleaning out the rack and distributing hay and grain therein that the door 6, the central partition in the nature of a gangplank, 7, and the shutting away of the sheep by dropping the inclines 10 10 are found to be of great practical utility, as the keeper is thereby enabled to step into the rack and conduct the whole operation without molestation from the sheep. The uprightsb 5 prevent crowding,

but permit horned sheep to feed as readily as the sheep to put their heads through, as well 15 those without horns. The set latches and butas between, the bows, and so fail to accomtons, or their equivalents, are necessary to seplish my purpose, and, besides, horned sheep cure the inclines in position, whether open or are liable to get caught in such staples and 5 closed. The length and proportions of the have theirlives endangered.

rack may be varied according to the number I claim as my invention- 20 and size of the sheep to be fed. The division posts 5 5, door 6, bed 7, hr

I am aware that divisional staples or 1 elines 1O 10, and set latches 11 11., all coninetallie bows, somewhat in the nature of my l structed, combined, and operating in the man- IO uprights 5 5, have heretofore been used and nor and for the purpose specified.

for similar purposes. I disclaim the use of ALVAN HALL. such staples, as they are not adapted to 210- Witnesses: complish my purposes. If made of a width Ase. G. VVAI'L, equal or similar to my uprights, they allow I l-[ENRY S. RANNIW. 

